# Review: Within Temptation - Black Symphony



## Furretsu (Sep 23, 2008)

Regardless of your own opinions concerning Within Temptation, it is hard to deny that their journey throughout the years has been an intriguing one.  Alongside other symphonic metal veterans Therion, Rain Fell Within, and Nightwish, the six-piece Dutch act has come a long way from its not-so-humble beginnings with their 1997 debut _Enter_.

Since then, the band has released three other full-length albums, recieving both a large amount of fans and a large amount of critics as well.  All four of their main releases make their way into _Black Symphony_, a live recording featuring the band performing over twenty of their most notable songs.  Even more interesting than that, however, is the inclusions of the Pa'dam Choir and The Metropole Orchestra to perform alongside them, contributing to the tracks in various ways.

The inclusion of The Metropole Orchestra may come off as gimmicky to some.  However, metal enthusiasts who have shunned their later work may be pleasantly surprised to hear the extra layer of atmosphere that a full orchestra adds to otherwise hollow, uninspired anthems.  (The most notable of these is "Frozen", which has evolved from an Evanescence-esque romp through generic modern rock into a bombastic, symphonic masterpiece.)

For the most part, the band members perform quite well; very rarely are they heard struggling to keep up with the symphonic side of the music.  The main offender in this department is none other than frontwoman Sharon den Adel, who has long been praised as one of the most technically proficient female vocalists to grace this side of the metal spectrum.  In her defense, maintaining energy in such an environment is nearly impossible.  Later songs such as "Ice Queen" and "Angels" are almost awkward to listen to when you notice how worn-out her voice begins to sound as she constantly searches for room to breathe.  To criticize her on her overall performance, however, would be unfair - for someone who has to keep up with her bandmates, a choir, and an orchestra for more than twenty songs, she does a great job.  If anything, _Black Symphony_ could be seen as a showcase of how impressive she is from a technical perspective, using multiple styles from deep ("The Heart of Everything") to borderline operatic ("The Promise").

One cannot discuss _Black Symphony_ without bringing up the guests.  Keith Caputo makes an appearance here (surprise, surprise) to assist with "What Have You Done."  Gothic metal band Orphanage's George Oosthoek lends his voice in "The Other Side (Of Me)" as well.  The biggest treat here, however, is Anneke van Giersbergen's appearance alongside Sharon in "Somewhere," transforming it from a run-of-the-mill ballad to an anthem filled with passion and emotion that one singer alone is simply incapable of delivering.  Anyone who's ever listened to Anneke's voice will be able to tell you that hearing Anneke's voice alone is worth purchasing the whole album.  And you know what?  That's probably true.

Song selection is certainly nothing unexpected, but remains satisfactory throughout.  Plenty of selections from _Mother Earth_ are present here, which will definitely appeal to fans from that era of the band's discography.  For the most part, the focus is on the last two albums, featuring all of the stables you've come to love (or loathe) such as "Stand My Ground" and "Our Solemn Hour."  Within Temptation fans shouldn't have any fear of being disappointed here, and most casual listeners will find reasons to love this album as well.  If anything, it's worth checking out if only to hear the innovation the guests here bring to the tracks.  It is, quite simply, hard to be let down by _Black Symphony_.


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